What does awarding mean?
"Awarding" refers to the act of formally bestowing something — a prize, medal, grant, scholarship, or contract — upon a person or organization, usually following a decision based on merit, achievement, or judgment. It appears most frequently in formal registers: legal documents, academic announcements, and reports on ceremonies and competitions. Phrases like "the awarding of prizes" or "the awarding body" are standard in British and American English alike. In legal contexts, the word carries a second sense: an awarding may be the binding decision issued by an arbitrator, particularly concerning damages or settlement amounts. The word derives from "award," which entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman French, ultimately tracing back to a Germanic root related to watching over or guarding — the same root behind words like "warden." Because awarding implies deliberate, official recognition rather than casual generosity, it conveys authority, ceremony, and consequence, making it the natural choice when institutions confer honors or settle disputes.
The act or instance of formally conferring a prize, grant, contract, or other honor; in legal usage, a decision rendered by an arbitrator.
"The awarding of the contract followed months of competitive bidding."
Often used with "of" in formal writing; in arbitration law it may refer to the decision itself.
Present participle of "award": to give or grant something officially to someone as a prize or as payment.
"The committee is awarding three fellowships this year."
Functions as part of continuous verb forms and as a gerund in nominal constructions.
Before 'award' settled into English, its ancestor was the phrase 'to award' — literally 'to watch out for' — from an old Germanic root that also gave us 'warden' and 'guardian'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of awarding
"Awarding" derives from the verb "award," which entered Middle English in the late medieval period from Anglo-Norman French "awarder," meaning to decide after inspection. The French term itself came from a Frankish Germanic root (*wardōn) meaning to guard or watch over, cognate with modern English "ward" and "warden." Over time the legal sense of deciding or judging narrowed toward the sense of conferring a prize or honor, and "awarding" emerged as the corresponding action noun.
Word family
Usage notes
"Awarding" is most commonly used as a gerund or derived noun in formal contexts — legal, academic, and ceremonial writing. It often appears with the preposition "of" ("the awarding of medals"). In legal English it can denote the outcome itself rather than merely the act. It is not used in everyday casual speech; speakers typically prefer "giving out" or simply "presenting."
Don't confuse with
Rewarding means giving compensation in return for effort or merit, while awarding means formally conferring a prize, honor, or decision.